Simon was sedated for a full oral exam. A laryngoscope was used to examine the very back of Simon’s mouth – and sure enough, there was the needle! Fortunately for Simon, the needle and the thread were able to be removed by grasping the needle through the oral cavity. Simon wouldn’t have been so lucky if he had swallowed the needle or if he had swallowed the thread. Swallowing the needle could have punctured the esophagus, stomach, or intestines; and swallowing a string can cause a linear foreign body where the string becomes stuck in the intestines and the intestines bunch up around the string – linear foreign bodies require abdominal surgery for removal. Simon is doing well and is back to his mischievous self.
